The Binghamton Senators kicked off 2012 on the right foot last Wednesday, defeating the Adirondack Phantoms in Glens Falls, 4-3 in their first game of the New Year. Tim Conboy scored with 1:08 remaining in regulation to break a 3-3 tie and send the B-Sens home with the victory. Rob Klinkhammer notched a pair of goals and an assist for Binghamton. His linemate Andre Petersson tallied three assists. Corey Cowick also scored for the B-Sens. Tyler Brown, Garrett Roe and Eric Wellwood each scored goals for the Phantoms. Mike McKenna earned the nod in goal for Binghamton, making 35 saves. Jason Bacashihua tended goal for the Phantoms turning aside 19 shots.

Friday, Jan. 6: Connecticut 1, Binghamton 3

Shots: Connecticut 39, Binghamton 40

PP: Connecticut 0 for 2, Binghamton 1 for 3

Mike McKenna made 38 saves to help the B-Sens to their second straight victory as they downed the Connecticut Whale 3-1 Friday night. With the win, McKenna earned his fifth straight victory in goal (a season high) and improved to 10-9-0 on the season. Corey Locke and Andre Petersson each scored a goal and added an assist for Binghamton. Pat Cannone scored the game winning goal. Francois Bouchard had the only tally on the scoreboard for the visiting Whale, while netminder Chad Johnson stopped 37 of the 39 shots he faced.

Saturday, Jan. 7: Rochester 3, Binghamton 2

Shots: Rochester 28, Binghamton 44

PP: Rochester 1 for 3, Binghamton 0 for 6

Despite posting a season-high 44 shots on goal Saturday night, the B-Sens fell to the Rochester Amerks by a score of 3-2. Phil Varone scored a pair of goals for the Amerks, including the game winner, and goaltender David Leggio made 42 saves. Igor Gongalsky rounded out the scoring for Rochester as he notched a shorthanded goal just over a minute into the third period. Rob Klinkhammer and Andre Petersson each scored goals for the B-Sens. Mike McKenna made his third consecutive start in goal, making 25 saves as he fell to .500 on the season (10-10-0).

Record:16-21-1-1

Standings:The B-Sens are tied with the Syracuse Crunch for fourth place in the East Division (34 points).

THIS WEEK…

Friday, Jan. 13 vs. Syracuse Crunch (Anaheim Ducks) – 7:05 p.m.

The B-Sens kick off a weekend stretch of three games in three nights as they welcome the Syracuse Crunch to town Friday night. The meeting is the fifth of eight between the teams this season.

Syracuse enters the week with a record of 15-15-3-1 and 34 points, tying them with the B-Sens for fourth place overall in the East Division. The teams last met Dec. 31 in Binghamton, a rough and tumble affair in which the teams amassed a total of 169 penalty minutes as the B-Sens fell to the Crunch 6-2.

The Crunch will have a different look behind the bench this week. Tuesday the club announced that the Anaheim Ducks restructured the Crunch coaching staff. Trent Yawney was named associate head coach and Mark Holick, who began the year as the team’s head coach, was named associate coach.

Saturday, Jan. 14 vs. Hershey Bears (Washington Capitals) – 7:05 p.m.

The B-Sens welcome the Hershey Bears to town Saturday for the fourth of eight meetings between the teams. The Bears are undefeated against the B-Sens so far this season (3-0-0-0).

The Bears currently sit in first place of the East Division boasting a record of 21-8-4-3 and 49 points. Hershey also has the league’s best power play percentage (30.9%), as they have gone 51 for 165 with the man advantage.

Keith Aucoin currently leads the Bears in points having scored 59 (eight goals, 51 assists) in 36 games. Not surprisingly, with those totals Aucoin leads his American Hockey League peers in points and assists.

Former Binghamton Senators forward, Ryan Potulny is tied for sixth place overall in points for Hershey with 24 (nine goals, 15 assists).

Sunday, Jan. 15 @ Bridgeport Sound Tigers – 3 p.m.

The Binghamton Senators end the week with a trip to Bridgeport, C.T. where they will face the Northeast Division’s Sound Tigers in a Sunday matinee game. The meeting is the first of two between the teams this season.

Bridgeport enters the week with a record of 16-17-3-1 and 36 points, tying them with the Springfield Falcons for fourth place overall in their division.

The Sound Tigers have won four straight games, thanks in great part to goaltender Kevin Poulin. Last week Poulin recorded three consecutive shutouts and held opponents off the scoreboard for 221 minutes and 54 seconds before being beaten by Providence’s Calle Ridderwall in the second period of a 3-2 Sound Tigers shootout win on Sunday. As a result of his performance last week (4-0-0, 0.48, .980), Poulin was named the Reebok/AHL Player of the Week and earned his third recall of the season by the Islanders on Monday afternoon.

SENS SNIPPETS…

Forward Andre Petersson was the top point producer for the B-Sens last week. Petersson returned to the line-up on Jan. 4 in Glens Falls after missing 10 games due to injury. In three games last week, the rookie forward put up two goals and five assists for seven points. In 27 games played this season, Petersson has 21 points (10 goals, 11 assists) and is a plus-six.

Forward Rob Klinkhammer currently holds the longest active point-streak among all Binghamton Senators players. Klinkhammer has points in seven straight games. During that stretch the forward has amassed seven goals and six assists for 13 points. In 17 total games as a Binghamton Senator, Klinkhammer has scored 10 goals and eight assists for 18 points.

Today American Hockey League President and CEO David Andrews announced the selection of B-Sens head coach Kurt Kleinendorst to join the Eastern Conference coaching staff for the 2012 AHL All-Star Classic. Kleinendorst will join St. John’s IceCaps head coach Keith McCambridge at the event to be held in Atlantic City, N.J., Jan. 29-30.

B-SENS BRINGING IT HOME TO THE COMMUNITY…

The Binghamton Senators partnership with Dickin Memorial Animal Hospital in Johnson City for “Paws for Cause” continues. 2012 Paws for Cause calendars ($20) and Paws for Cause t-shirts ($15) are still available for purchase. 100% of the proceeds from the sales will benefit the Broome County Humane Society and Project P.A.W.

The limited edition calendars and shirts can be purchased at the Paws for Cause table on Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena concourse for all upcoming B-Sens home games, at Dickin Memorial Animal Hospital (716 Harry L Drive, Johnson City) and the Broome County Humane Society (2 Jackson Street, Binghamton) while supplies last.

For more information on Paws for Cause or to learn how to place an order to be shipped, please visit www.binghamtonsenators.com.